


A Man is a Candle

by VidiVici



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-29 02:38:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8472286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VidiVici/pseuds/VidiVici
Summary: Erwin's deal





	

He pulled on the heavy iron door lock to make sure it was indeed locked

 

Moving at a sickening pace, he made his way to the window on the far side of the room and pulled the thick curtains closed over the moon

 

Erwin lit the stump of a candle that was melded to his desk with a flick of a match

 

Sucking in his dry air, he seated himself at his dense wooden desk and looked down at his worn hands, reminded how each conflict takes years off of his life

 

Warmth began to slink through his ears

 

_ Finally? _

 

His sight slowly unfocused as he stared through the small flame in front of him

 

A patch of light remained after he closed his eyes

 

_ You want to storm the shores of inhumanity while you are burdened by your humanity.  _

 

_ Man is a candle that will burn out, that will be snuffed out, that cannot run, that has tried. _

 

He closed his eyes even though he thought they already were

 

_ Why die for those who will end up dead? _

 

_ You will hear victory like shattering and feel breath like screaming. _

 

He swiped his tongue over his thumb and pinched the flame out

 

There was a moment of darkness and silence where he was holding his breath, where he could not even hear his heart before the lock fell and the door creaked open

 

Distant light flowed in, blocked only by a small silhouette

 

“ _ Commander. _ ”

 

His voice had the lilt of a liar and his presence cut the warmth of the room wide open

 

He felt the bottom of his trousers twist tighter to his skin

  
“Lance Corporal”

**Author's Note:**

> This was kind of an experiment on playing with words and punctuation to try and create a heavier mood.  
> I tried to allude to Levi being a demon/spirit that Erwin called for power to keep on fighting, I hope it came across that way;;;


End file.
